1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to medical devices, and, more particularly, to a biopsy needle orientation fixture for use in association with a biopsy needle and diagnostic mammography equipment having a radiation source.
2. Background of the Invention
Biopsy needles have been used in association with mammography x-ray machines for several years. In particular, many of these mammography machines have some form of a vertical biopsy needle guide, to facilitate biopsy procedures. This vertical guide allows a biopsy needle to be positioned over a lesion or other pre-determined region in a breast, and to enter the breast along a vertical pathway leading to the lesion or pre-determined region. Because it defines a biopsy needle path, this type of device allows for consistency in breast biopsy procedures.
While these vertical mammography machines have enjoyed considerable success, many physicians have desired not only vertical biopsy capabilities, but also horizontal biopsy capabilities. Although vertical needle entry allows biopsy procedures to be performed on most lesions in a breast, vertical entry is not well-suited for lesions near the surface, but lower in the breast. Specifically, in such surficial-type lower breast lesions, vertical entry forces the biopsy needle to pass through a large portion of the breast. In contrast, horizontal entry to such lesions requires a much shorter puncture track into the breast. Moreover, horizontal entry capabilities also allow a wider variety of breast entry sites. This variety is especially useful for lesions near the chest wall, which may be biopsied via a horizontal entry site at least partially perpendicular to the chest wall.
Accordingly, devices have been created for use with stereotactic mammograph x-ray machines, to facilitate vertical and horizontal biopsy procedures. One such prior art device, shown in FIG. 1, is an L-shaped fixture with horizontal and vetical legs, and both vertical and horizontal needle guides. Such a device is attached to a stereotactic mammography x-ray machine so that the horizontal needle guide swings in a precise arc about a vertical axis defined by the vertical needle guide. Accordingly, the fixture may be oriented for an unlimited number of horizontal breast entry sites, all of which intersect the vertical entry path defined by the vertical needle guide.
However, although such a prior art device provides both horizontal and vertical needle entry capabilities, it was not well-suited for use in association with a mammography unit having a radiation source mounted above the L-shaped fixture. In particular, because of the beneficial L-shaped structure of the prior art fixture, the horizontal leg is aligned with the horizontal needle pathway. Consequently, the horizontal leg blocks radiation emitted from a radiation source positioned above the fixture, and prevents x-ray imaging of the needle position relative to a breast lesion.
Accordingly, it is a goal in the art to provide a biopsy needle fixture, having both horizontal and vertical biopsy capabilities, for use with diagnostic mammography x-ray equipment, while also providing a device that allows a radiation source to locate and identify horizontal biopsy needle positions within the target area of a breast. These and other objectives for the invention are described herein.